History of the Elements of the Periodic Table

Atomic Number (z) 1 2 Name hydrogen helium Year Symbol Discovered H He 1766 Discoverer Henry Cavendish Derivation of Name/Symbol

3 4

lithium beryllium

Li Be

boron

carbon

nitrogen

oxygen

9 10 11

fluorine neon sodium

F Ne Na

12

magnesium

Mg

From the Greek hydro for 'water' and genes for 'forming' as it burned in air to form water. From the Greek helios for 'sun'. It was Pierre-Jules-Cesar 1868 discovered by spectroscopy during a Janssen solar eclipse in the sun's chromosphere. From the Latin lithos for 'stone' because lithium was thought to 1818 Johan August Arfvedson minerals as it was first exist only in found in the mineral petalite. 1798 Nicholas-Louis Vauquelin From the Greek berryllos for 'beryl' the gemstone in which it was first found. From the Arabic buraq for 'white'. It was first isolated in an impure state by Louis-Joseph Gay-Lussac and Louis1808 (isolated) Humphry Davy Jacques Thenard, but it was Humphry Davy who first prepared pure boron using electrolysis. From the Latin carbo for 'charcoal'. In known since ancient 1797, Smithson Tennant showed that times diamond is pure carbon. From the Latin nitrium and Greek nitron for 'native soda' and genes for 'forming' 1772 Daniel Rutherford because it is found in potassium nitrate, saltpeter or nitre or native soda. >From the Greek oxys for 'acid' and genes for 'forming' since AntoineLaurent Lavoisier originally thought that 1774 Joseph Priestly oxygen was an acid producer because when he burnt phosphorus and sulfur and dissolved them in water they produced acids. From the Latin fluere for 'flow or flux' as the mineral fluorspar used 1886 (isolated) Ferdinand Frederic, Henri in metallurgy becausewasits lowas a flux Moissan of melting point Sir William Ramsay, 1898 From the Greek neos for 'new' Morris M. Travers From the English soda and Latin sodanum for 'headache remedy'. The 1807 Sir Humphry Davy chemical symbol derives from the Latin natrium for soda. 1808 From Magnesia a district in Thessalia in (separation Sir Humphry Davy northeastern Greece from mineral) From the Latin alum and alumen for 'stringent' since the early Romans called 1825 (isolated) Hans Christian Oersted any substance with a stringent taste alum. 1924 Jons Jacob Berzelius From the Latin silex and silicis for 'flint'. Originally it was thought to be a metal and called silicium, when this was shown to be wrong the name was

13 14

aluminium silicon

Al Si

15

phosphorus

1669

Hennig Brand

16 17 18

sulfur/sulphur chlorine argon

S Cl Ar

1774 1894

known since ancient times Carl Wilhelm Scheele Sir William Ramsay, Lord Raleigh Sir Humphry Davy Sir Humphry Davy Lars Fredrik Nilson The Reverend William Gregor Andres Manuel del Rio y Fernandez/Nils Gabriel Sefstrom Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin Johan Gottlieb Gahn known since ancient times

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

potassium calcium scandium titanium vanadium chromium manganese iron

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe

1807 (isolated) 1808 (isolated) 1879 1791 1801/1830 1797 1774 (isolated) -

27

cobalt

Co

1739

Georg Brandt

28

nickel

Ni

1751

Axel Fredrik Cronstedt known since ancient times known since ancient times Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran Clemens Winkler

29 30

copper zinc

Cu Zn

changed to silicon. From the Greek phosphorus for 'bringing light' as white phosphorus oxidises spontaneously in air and glows in the dark From Latin sulfurium and the Sanskrit sulveri. Sulfur was known as brenne stone, combustible stone, from which brim-stone is derived From the Greek chloros for 'pale green', the colour of the element. From the Greek argos for 'lazy' because it does not combine with other elements. From the English potash as it was found in caustic potash (KOH). The chemical symbol derives from the Latin kalium via the Arabic qali for alkali From the Latin calx for 'lime or limestone' in which it is found. From the Latin scandia for Scandanavia where the mineral was found From the Latin titans, mythological first sons of the earth From the Scandanavian Freyja Vanadis, goddess of love and beauty, because of its many beautiful coloured compounds From the Greek chroma for 'colour' as there are many coloured compounds of chromium From the Latin magnes for 'magnet' since the mineral pyrolusite (MnO2) has magnetic properties From the Anglo Saxon iron. The symbol is derived form the Latin ferrum for 'firmness' From the German kobold for 'evil spirits' who were thought to cause miners problems since the mineral contained arsenic which was detrimental to their health. From the German nickel for 'deceptive spirit' as miners called the mineral niccolite kupfernickel (false copper) as it resembled copper ores in appearance but no copper was found in the ore. From the Latin cuprum for 'Cyprus' where the Romans first obtained copper From the German zink From the Latin gallia for France, or possibly from the Latin gallus for 'le coq or cock' after its Fench discoverer. Predicted by Mendeleev who called it eka-aluminium. From the Latin germania for Germany after its German discoverer. Predicted

31 32

gallium germanium

Ga Ge

1875 1886

33

arsenic

As

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

selenium bromine krypton rubidium strontium yttrium zirconium niobium

Se Br Kr Rb Sr Y Zr Nb

1817 1826 1898 1861 1792

by Mendeleev who called it eka-silicon. From the Latin arsenicum and the Greek arsenikos for yellow arsenic ore, known since ancient sounds similar thethe Greek arsenikon to times for 'male or potent' possibly referring to its toxicity. From the Greek Selene, goddess of the moon, because the element is found Jons Jacob Berzelius with tellurium (named after Tellus, Roman goddess of the earth) Antoine-Jerome Balard From the Greek bromos for 'stench' Sir William Ramsay, From the Greek kryptos for 'hidden' Morris M. Travers From the Latin rubidus for deepest red Robert Bunsen, Gustav because of the two deep red lines in its Kirchoff spectrum
Thomas Charles Hope

42 43 44 45

molybdenum technetium ruthenium rhodium

Mo Tc Ru Rh

46

palladium

Pd

47

silver

Ag

48 49 50 51

cadmium indium tin antimony

Cd In Sn Sb

From Strontian a town in Scotland where the mineral strontianite is found From the Swedish village of Ytterby 1794 Johan Gadolin where the mineral gadolinite (ytterbite) was found 1789 Martin Heinrich Klaproth From the Arabic zargun for 'gold-like' From the Greek Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, since the elements niobium 1801 Charles Hatchett and tantalum were originally thought to be identical elements From the Greek molybdos for 'lead' as 1778 Carl Welhelm Scheele the ancient Greeks used this term for any black mineral which left a mark 1937 Carlo Perrier, Emilio From the Greek technetos for 'artificial'. (synthesized) Segre From the latin ruthenia, the old name 1844 (isolated) Karl Karlovich Klaus for Russia From the Greek rhodon for rose 1803 William Hyde Wollaston because of the rose coloured solutions of its salts From the second largets asteroid of the Solar System, Pallus, named after the goddess 1803 William Hyde Wollaston Athene, as of wisdom and arts, Pallas the element was discovered 1 year after the discovery of the asteroid. From the Anglo-Saxon seofor and siolfur. known since ancient The chemical symbol derives from the times Latin argentum and Sanskrit argunas for 'bright' From the Greek kadmeia for 'calamine, 1817 Friedrich Strohmeyer zinc carbonate' as it was found as an impurity with zinc carbonate in nature Ferdinand Reich, From indigo for the indigo-blue line in 1863 Hieronymus Theodor the element's spectrum Richter
known since ancient times known since ancient times

From the Anglo-Saxon tin. The chemical symbol is derived from the Latn stannum for alloys containing lead From the Greek anti and monos for 'not alone' because it was found in many

52 53 54 55 56 57 58

tellurium iodine xenon cesium/caesium barium lanthanum cerium

Te I Xe Cs Ba La Ce

1782 1811 1898 1860 1808 (isolated) 1839 1803

compounds. The symbol Sb comes from the original name, stibium. Franz Joseph Muller von From the Latin Tellus, Roman goddess Reichenstein of the earth From the Greek ioeides for 'violet Barnard Courtois coloured' because of its violet vapours Sir William Ramsay, From the Greek xenon for 'stranger' Morris M. Travers caesius for 'sky Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, From the Latinwas the colour ofblue colour' which the Gustav Robert Kirchoff caesium line in the spectroscope.
Sir Humphry Davy Carl Gustaf Mosander Jons Jacob Berzelius, Wilhelm von Hisinger, Martin Heinrich Klaproth Carl F. Auer von Welsbach

59

praseodymium

Pr

1885

60

neodymium

Nd

1885 (isolated from mineral)

Carl F. Auer von Welsbach

61

promethium

Pm

Jacob A. Marinsky, 1944 Lawrence E. Glendenin, (synthesized) Charles D. Coryell 1878 Marc Delafontaine

62

samarium

Sm

From the Greek barys for 'heavy' as it was found in the mineral heavy spar. From the Greek lanthanein 'to escape notice' because it hid in cerium ore and was difficult to separate out From the planetoid Ceres which was named after the Roman goddess of agriculture. From the Greek prasios for 'green' and didymos for 'twin' because of the pale green salts it forms. Carl F. Auer von Welsbach separated praseodymium and neodymium from a didymium sample. From the Greek neos for 'new' and 'didymos' for twin after Carl Auer von Welsbach separated didymium into new elements, one of which he called neodymium From Prometheus who stole fire from heaven and gave it to the human race, since it was found by harnessing nuclear energy which is also a threat From the mineral Samarskite in which it is found and which was named after Colonel von Samarski, a Russian mine official

63 64 65

europium gadolinium terbium

Eu Gd Tb

1896 Demarcay (separation Eugene-Antole Demarcay From the continent Europe. 1901 isolated europium in from mineral) mineral gadolinite in which Jean Charles Galissard de From the and which was named afterit 1880 is found Marignac Johan Gadolin 1843 Carl Gustaf Mosander

From the village of Ytterby in Sweden where the mineral ytterbite was first found

66

dysprosium

Dy

1886

67 68

holmium erbium

Ho Er

1879 1843

From the Greek dysprositos for 'hard to get at' because it is difficult to separate dysprosium from the holmium mineral in which it is found From the Latin holmia for Stockholm, or Per Theodor Cleve possibly after Holmberg who first isolated it. From the Swedish town of Ytterby Carl Gustaf Mosander where the ore gadolinite was first mined.
Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran

69 70 71 72

thulium ytterbium lutetium hafnium

Tm Yb Lu Hf

1879 1878 1907 1923

Per Theodor Cleve Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac Georges Urbain Dirk Coster, Charles de Hevesy Anders Gustaf Ekeberg

73

tantalum

Ta

1802

74

tungsten

Juan 1783 (isolated) DonFaustoJose and Don d'Elhuyar Ida Tacke-Noddack, Walter Noddack, Otto Carl Berg Smithson Tennant

From Thule, the earliest name for Scandanavia From the Swedish village of Ytterby where the mineral ytterbite was found From the Latin lutetia the Latin name for the city of Paris From the Latin hafnia for Copenhagen where it was first discovered. From the Greek tantalos, the mythological character who was banished to Hades unable to eat or drink, because the element was insoluble in acids. From the Swedish tung sten for 'heavy stone'. The chemical symbol is derived from the German wolfram which was found with tin and interferred with the smelting of tin, it was said to eat up tin like a wolf eats up sheep From the Latin rhenus for the Rhine Ralley in Germany

75 76 77 78 79

rhenium osmium iridium platinum gold

Re Os Ir Pt Au

1925 1803 1803 1735 -

80

mercury

Hg

81 82 83

thallium lead bismuth

Tl Pb Bi

1861 1753

From the Greek some for 'smell' because of the sharp odour of the volatile oxide From the Latin Iris, the Greek goddess Smithson Tennant of rainbows because of the variety of colours in the element's salt solutions Antonio de Ulloa From the Spanish platina for 'silver' From the Sanskrit jval 'to shine'. The known since ancient symbol Au derives from the Latin aurum times for Aurora the Roman goddess of the dawn. From the Roman god Mercury, the known since ancient messenger of the gods. The symbol times derives from the Greek hydrargyrum for 'liquid silver' or quick silver From the Greek thallos for 'green shoot' Sir William Crookes because of the bright green lines in its spectrum From Anglo Saxon lead. The symbol is known since ancient derived from the Latin plumbum for times 'lead' From the wismuth Claude-Francois Geoffroy masse forGermanmass', the from weisse 'white colour of its the Younger oxides. New Latin: Bisemutum.
Pierre and Marie Curie

84 85 86 87

polonium astatine radon francium

Po At Rn Fr

From Poland, the native country of Marie Sklodowska Curie 1940 Dale R. Carson, K.R. From the Greek astatos for 'unstable' as (synthesized) MacKenzie, Emilio Segre it is an unstable element. Originally called radium emanation, Em, because it was a decay product of 1900 Friedrich Ernst Dorn radium. The name radon reflects its origin from radium Marguerite Catherine From France the country in which it was 1939 Perey first discovered
1898

88 89 90 91 92

radium actinium thorium protactinium uranium

Ra Ac Th Pa U

1898 1899 1828 1913 1789

Marie Sklodowska Curie, From the Latin radius for 'beam or ray' Pierre Curie because of its ray-emitting power From the Greek aktis or akinis for 'beam Andre-Louis Debierne or ray' because it is a good source of alpha radiation From Thor, Scandanavian god of Jons Jacob Berzelius thunder From the Greek protos for 'first' and Kasimir Fajans, O.H. actinium, since it was found to be the Gohring parent of actinium Martin Heinrich Klaproth

93

neptunium

Np

From the planet Uranus named after the Roman 'Father Heaven', Uranus was discovered in 1781. From Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, since it is the next outermost 1940 Edwin M. McMillan, Philip planet beyond Uranus in the Solar (synthesized) H. Abelson System and this element is the next one beyond Uranium in the Periodic Table From the planet Pluto, the Roman god Glenn T. Seaborg, Joseph of the underworld, as Pluto is the next 1941 W. Kennedy, Edward M. (synthesized) McMillan, Arthur C. Wohl planet in the Solar System beyond Neptune and the element plutonium is the next element beyond neptunium analogy to europium the sixth Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph From the in the lanthanide series since 1944 element A. James, Leon O. (synthesized) Morgan, Albert Ghiorso americium is the sixth element in the actinide series. 1944 Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph From 'Pierre and Marie Curie' who (synthesized) A. James, Albert Ghiorso discovered radium and polonium Glenn T. Seaborg, Stanley From Berkeley, California, where it was 1949 (synthesized) G. Thompson, Albert first synthesised Ghiorso
Stanley G. Thompson, From the state and university of 1950 Glenn T. Seaborg, (synthesized) Kenneth Street, Jr., Albert California where the element was first synthesised. Ghiorso From 'Albert Einstein'. Eisteinium-252 1952 Albert Ghiorso first found in the debris of (synthesized) thermonuclear weapons 1952 (synthesized) Albert Ghiorso

94

plutonium

Pu

95 96 97

americium curium berkelium

Am Cm Bk

98

californium

Cf

99

einsteinium

Es

100

fermium

Fm

From Enrico Fermi, the physicist who built the first nuclear reactor. First found in the debris of a thermonuclear weapon explosion

101

mendelevium

Md

102 103 104

nobelium lawrencium rutherfordium

No Lr RE

Stanley G. Thompson, From Dimitri Mendeleev who developed Glenn T. Seaborg, the Periodic Table of the Elements. Barnard G. Harvey, Original chemical symbol was My but Gregory R. Choppin, was changed in 1955. Albert Ghiorso Albert Ghiorso, Glenn T. From Alfred Nobel the discoverer of 1958 Seaborg, Torbjorn (synthesized) Sikkeland, John R. Walton dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prize Albert Ghiorso, Torbjorn From Ernest O. Lawrence who 1961 cyclotron. The original (synthesized) Sikkeland, Almon E. Larsh, developed the Lw but was changed Robert M. Latimer symbol was 1964/1969 Russian Scientists at From Ernest Rutherford who developed (synthesized) Dubna/Albert Ghiorso a theory of radioactive transformations 1955 (synthesized)

105 106 107

dubnium seaborgium bohrium

Db Sg Bh

1967/1970 (synthesized) 1974 (synthesized) 1981 (synthesized) 1984 (synthesized) 1980 (synthesized) 1994 (synthesized) 1994 (synthesized) 1996 (synthesized)

Russian Scientists in Dubna/Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Albert Ghiorso Centre for Heavy-Ion Research , Germany Peter Armbruster, Gottfried Munzenber Peter Armbruster, Gottfried Munzenber Peter Armbruster, Gottfried Munzenber multinational team of scientists at the Heavy Ion Research Centre, Darmstadt, Germany multinational team of scientists at the Heavy Ion Research Centre, Darmstadt, Germany

From the location of the Russian research centre in Dubna From Glenn Theodore Seaborg who led the team that first synthesised a number of transuranic elements From Neils Bohr who developed a theory of the electronic structure of the atom From the Latin hassia for the German state of Hesse whose former capital was Darmstadt where the element was first synthesized From Lise Meitner who discovered protactinium From Darmstadt the region where the research centre is located From Roentgen, discoverer of X-rays name proposed in 2009, the International Year of Astronomy, after Nicolaus Copernicus who postulated that the Earth orbits the Sun

108 109 110 111

hassium meitnerium darmstadtium roentgenium

Hs Mt Ds Rg

112

copernicium

Cn

114

ununquadium

Uuq

116

ununhexium

Uuh

multinational team of scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia multinational team of 2000 scientists at the Joint (synthesized) Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia 1998 (synthesized)

No name recorded

No name recorded

There are 2 more atoms: Ununtrium: Discovered in 2003. Synthesized in 2004 Its symbol is Uut The discoverer is a multinational team of scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia. Ununpentium: Synthesized in 2004 Its symbol is Uup The discoverer is a multinational team of scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia.